She caught his hand in hers, stilling the motion. “But how do you feel about me? Really?”
He turned his hand so he was holding hers and lowered it until it was over his heart. “You’re the reason my heart beats, the reason I was born. I know that in my soul. We were meant to be together. I love you, Chrissten. I didn’t want to say it before because I didn’t want you to feel pressured to return that love if you didn’t feel it.” He tried to lighten the mood. “Plus, I’m a guy. We try not to say things like that unless we absolutely have to.”
Her expression was solemn and he felt his entire life slipping away from him.
“That’s unfortunate,” she began. His heart cracked and began to splinter. “Because I’m the kind of women who needs to hear it a lot.”
He looked at her, trying to figure out if she was saying what he thought she was saying. She nodded at him and smiled. “Oh, Hank. I’ve loved you from the first moment I saw you. I just didn’t know what it was I was feeling. I finally admitted it to myself when I thought you were going to die in front of me.”
Hank yanked her into his arms and held on so tight he knew he had to be hurting her, but she didn’t complain or try to pull away. No, his Chrissten just pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around him. He buried his face in her shoulder, trying to control the explosion of emotion inside him. His eyes burned with unshed tears and his muscular body quivered.
Chrissten loved him.
It didn’t matter what happened from here on, if they moved away or stayed in the city. As long as they were together he was happy.
He pulled back. “You’ll let me stay with you.”
She nodded. “Yes.” Her hand snaked around the back of his neck and she yanked him toward her. Their lips met and he tasted the promise, the passion on them. He devoured her, tasting and taking, savoring and giving. She fit against him perfectly, as if they’d been made for one another. And Hank truly believed they had been.
Chrissten was shaking, her knees weak as Hank continued to kiss her like there was no tomorrow. For the first time in a long while, she felt like there was a tomorrow, a future to look forward to.
Hank loved her. She let the words roll around in her mind and warm her heart. Hank loved her. When he’d listed his faults and started to leave she’d wondered if he’d truly meant what he’d said about wanting to be with her. She’d found the courage to ask the one question she had to know the answer to. And he’d answered even though it made him vulnerable to her.
He’d put his heart on the line and told her he loved her.
Chrissten’s wolf howled and the deep cavern of doubt inside her began to close. She knew she’d have emotional problems in the future. She’d have to come to terms with the kidnapping and the abuse she’d suffered.
She’d shoved the memories aside since her rescue, refusing to think about them, instead focusing all her attention on getting strong and killing Brian. Now that the threat was gone, she had no choice but to face her horrible past. It was time to deal with it and put it behind her. Hank and her family would help her. Every day she was feeling stronger and more able to cope.
She wasn’t foolish enough to think it would be easy, but she wasn’t a quitter. With her family’s help and Hank beside her, she knew she could deal with whatever came her way.
Hank’s lips left hers, started down the line of her jaw and continued over her neck. Thoughts of tomorrow slipped away as heat exploded in her core, expanding like a wave over her entire body. All the emotional turmoil churning inside her was rapidly being channeled into physical need.
A blast of heat ran from his lips to her breasts and down between her thighs. She wanted Hank. Wanted to seal their pact of love with the physical act.
“The bedroom.” She gasped when he traced his tongue over the sensitive whorl of her ear and raised goose bumps on her neck. His breath was warm and moist against her skin.
“Your wish is my command.” He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. It was an ugly room, plain and utilitarian like the rest of the apartment. But it was strangely beginning to feel like home to her. Was it because she’d spent so much time here? Because it belonged to Hank? Was where he lived?
Or maybe it was the man himself. Maybe Hank represented home to her. In his arms she’d found love and a sense of safety and belonging. It was a precious gift, one she’d treasure for the rest of her life.
He set her on her feet beside the bed and started to undress her. She went to work on his shirt, tugging the hem from his jeans and pulling it upward. The broad expanse of muscular chest distracted her and she contented herself with running her hands over it.
Hank had her bra undone in the blink of an eye and cupped her breasts in his hands. “We have to let go of one another to get our clothes off,” he reminded her. His breathing became faster with each passing second.
“On the count of three. One. Two.” She didn’t get to three. Hank pulled back and yanked his shirt over his head, kicked off his sneakers and went to work on his jeans. She watched, spellbound as his magnificent body was revealed.
“You’re not getting undressed,” he reminded her. She shook herself out of her sensual stupor and hurriedly pulled off her top and bra. As she kicked off her shoes, she admired the jut of his erection coming up from its nest of dark blond curls. Hank was so male. So perfect.
“I can see I’m going to have to help you.” Hank unbuttoned her jeans and stripped them down her legs, taking her panties at the same time. “Lift,” he ordered and she lifted her right foot, then her left. He removed her clothing and socks, leaving her naked before him.
He stood, scooped her up once again and lay down on the mattress with her still in his arms. He shifted so she was lying on top of him, her breasts mashed against his chest and her pussy snuggling his cock. She wiggled around to get comfortable, drawing a pained moan from him.
He grabbed her butt and stilled her movements. “You’re killing me, baby. I’m close to the edge here.”
“Good.” She folded her arms on his chest and stared down at him. The planes of his face were rough and rugged. His short hair only emphasized his square jaw. He was so masculine. “Tell me again.”
He didn’t even pretend not to understand her. He squeezed her ass. “I love you, Chrissten. Now and always.”
“I love you too.” It felt so strange, yet so freeing to say those words to him. After Brian, she’d thought she’d never be able to trust a man enough to have sex, let alone allow herself to fall in love.
But Hank had blown all her preconceived notions out of the water. In his own gentle and determined way, he’d stormed her protective walls and captured her heart. He was a warrior, but after he’d taken her heart he’d given it back to her when he’d given her his love.
He rolled and she let out a laugh. That was another thing he’d given her. Laughter. She’d never before laughed while making love and hadn’t imagined she ever would. But Hank was different. Special.
Hers.
The word echoed through her soul. Yes, he was hers.
He braced himself with his arms on either side of her body. “Let me make love to you.” Even now she knew he would stop if she asked him to or if he sensed any unpleasant memories from the past creeping in. Was it any wonder she’d fallen in love with this man?